Sunshine Coast Line

The Sunshine Coast Line

The route between Colchester and Clacton/Walton is named “The Sunshine Coast Line”. It is one of the five lines which lies to the east of the county.

Starting from Colchester, the line splits to travel to the station in the town centre ‘Colchester Town’ before it travels through the Hythe to the beautiful town of Wivenhoe where the small winding streets of the old village comes to an end at the picturesque quayside where fishing and sailing boats bob at their moorings. You can walk alongside the river towards Hythe Quay or the other direction towards Arlesford creek.

Your journey travels through Alresford where you can find the finest country walks in Essex and on to Great Bentley, where the village entices you a village with pubs which overlook the 43 acre green, recognised as the largest village green in the country. Sunny summer afternoons will find a cricket match in full swing.

The train continues to Thorpe le Soken where the line splits giving you the choice to go the Walton on the Naze, with its great sandy beach, a pier you can walk along watching the sea fishing and crabbing, as well as ten pin bowling, rides and amusements. If you chose to take the train to Clacton on Sea, you can visit the pier with its undercover fairground for those rainy days, a bowling alley and sea front gardens. There are also shops, pubs and restaurants and of course you’ll find a fish and chip shop just yards from the sea front, alongside shell fish stalls – the local oyster merchants selling their wares that are grown and caught within the peninsula. Look out for events such as the annual air show at www.visitessex.com/

Download the line guide here